Insert sole



May 27, 1947.

J. M. SIMS Y INSERT SOLE Filed Oct. l, 1945 AINSERT SOLE James Manning Sims, Atlanta, VGra.

Application Gctober 1, 1945,'Seria1 1No.k 619,467

(Cl. VSli-Jil) l Claim. l

This invention relates to insert soles for shoes ,of standard construction and more particularly aims to provide an insert sole so c-onstructed and arranged as to provide cushioning support for the arch as well as for other parts of the human foot, which during walking or standing of an individual are subjected to considerable stress,

Another object of my invention is to provide an insert sole of the above character which is of simple construction and in which the pads are so located as to provide the most effective support and protection for the-several parts of the foot in rubbing or pressure contact with the shoe sole.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, reference being had to the annexed drawing in which:

Figure l is a plan view of an insert sole;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the insert sole taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse cross-sectional views on the lines 3-3 and 4 4, respectively.

In the insert sole disclosed in the drawing, a unitary strip I of flexible material, such as leather, is shaped generally to the contour of the foot and when placed in a shoe it extends from the heel portion forwardly corresponding to a point in advance of the ball portion of the foot. The insert soles may be cut for rights and lefts, but otherwise are practically identical in construction.

Upon the upper surface of the heel end Ia of the strip, secured for example by a, suitable adhesive, is a heel pad 2, this pad being substantially flat except for an intermediate portion Za sloping downwardly toward its forward edge and serving to cushion the heel of the foot resting thereon. Forwardly of the heel pad and located a distance along the strip I so as to come under the arch of the foot, is aixed a flat double-lobed pad 3. The lobe 3a of this pad on the inside margin of the insert is slightly Wider (considered lengthwise of the strip I) than the companion lobe 3b located on the outside margin of the insert, and these lobes are connected by a constricted portion 3c extending transversely of the insert.

Further along the strip I a short distance in advance of the double-lobed pad is affixed a callous pad I of approximately half-oval shape with the curved portion disposed forwardly (toward the toe end) of the insert sole. The upper surface of this pad slopes forwardly and downwardly, the straight rear end of the pad being raised a f2 short Adistance above the surface of the strip `I while the margins .of the forwardly projecting oval part of the .pad are skived so as to cause the curved edges of this pad to merge into the strip I. Centrally the pad i is provided with a depression da.

Adjacent and affixed to the forward end of the strip I and located side by side is a pair of callous pads 5 and 6 each of substantially the same basket shape contour and, like the pad l! (although somewhat smaller in size) having their upper surfaces depressed centrally as indicated at 5a and Ga, respectively. These pads slope forwardly and downwardly so that the convexly curved forward edges of the pads merge into the upper surface of the strip I.

The forward end Ib of the strip I terminates in an `outwardly curved line in the vicinity of the toes of the foot. The pads 2, 3, c, 5 and 6 are composed of sponge rubber or other soft resilient material, and these pads are all located symmetrically with respect to the center line 2-2 extending lengthwise of the strip I.

The insert sole just described is adapted to function as follows: When placed inside a shoe so as to overlie the insole, the insert sole will extend from the heel end of the shoe forwardly to a point somewhat in advance of the ball portion of the foot. The foot resting on the insert has its heel portion Supported by the heel pad 2 which cushions the heel bone against shock and also affords true balance for the insert so as to overcome any tendency toward sliding, bunching or twisting in the shoe. The sloping portion 2a of the heel pad relieves heel spur or acute bursitis by taking the pressure off that area,

The inside lobe 3a of the double-lobed pad 3 supports the longitudinal arch of the foot while the smaller outside lobe 3b cushions the cuboid bone. Pad 4, farther along the insert, properly supports the second and third metatarsal heads. At the forward end of the insert I the inside pad 5 supports the sesmoid bone under the first metatarsal head, and the outside pad S supports the fth rnetatarsal head. Both of these pads 5 and E, as well as the pad fl, are forwardly sloped and depressed adjacent their centers so as to relieve pressure against the bone structure of the foot and also to effectively serve as callous pads for the contacting parts of the foot. c

It will be appreciated that instead of being constructed as an insert for shoes, the article just described may be built into the shoe as a permanent part thereof. Also instead of making the pads of sponge rubber these may be made of other suitable soft resilient material. Manifestly various other changes in the construction and design of the insert sole just described above may be made Without departing from the spirit of my invention as deiined by the following claim.

I claim:

[In an insert sole for shoes comprising a at eXible strip conforming approximately to the contour of the foot from the heel portion to a point located forwardly of the: ball portion, a series of resilient pads a'ixed to the upper surface of said strip and located generally symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of said strip, said pads including a heel pad located at the heel end of the strip, a double-lobe pad located forwardly of the heel pad and serving as a support for the longitudinal arch of the foot,

a callous pad located in advance of the double-y under rst and fth metatarsal heads, said callus pads each being of substantially equal-thickness and the upper faces of said pads being inclined forwardly and downwardly and terminating in the plane of said strip whereby to impart a forward thrust to the foot, and said pads each being centrally recessed, said recesses terminating a spaced distance inwardly from the two sides and the rear edges of said pads.

JAMES MANNING SIMS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Schipper Apr, 18, 1939 

